Oct 20, 2026 · 11 min
Iowa State seeks resources to close its Big 12 gap
DAILY CLONE: How Jared Benko can help Jimmy Rogers win
Iowa State’s ability to compete consistently increasingly depends on whether new leadership can match the resources shaping recruiting and roster building.
- 1Jared Benko’s SEC experience could help Iowa State build the resources needed to compete with the Big 12’s strongest programs.
- 2Money increasingly shapes recruiting conversations, but Rogers says playing time and NFL development still influence player decisions.
- 3Rogers pairs confidence in Iowa State’s work ethic with a clear admission that talent gaps against BYU and Utah remain.
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Rogers candidly acknowledges Iowa State’s talent disadvantage against BYU and Utah while maintaining confidence in the team’s work ethic and resilience.
The brief
Jimmy Rogers welcomes incoming athletic director Jared Benko, arguing that Benko’s SEC experience and access to resources could help Iowa State build a stronger football program.
The central problem is structural: Iowa State wants resources comparable to the Big 12’s top programs, where recruiting and roster building increasingly reflect financial capacity.
Rogers says money now drives many recruiting conversations, but players still weigh playing time, development, and NFL opportunities against the prospect of becoming a backup.
His confidence in Iowa State’s work ethic and resilience sits alongside a candid talent assessment: programs such as BYU and Utah still hold an advantage.
The episode’s argument is ultimately about capacity, not commitment: Iowa State believes it can compete, but needs more resources to do so consistently.
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